Control lock mechanism



Oct, 25, 1949. E. w. BATTERSON 2,486,098

CONTROL LOCK MECHANI SM Filed Sept. 20, 1945 Patented Oct. 25, 1949 l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL LOCK MECHANISM Ernest W. Batterson, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignor to Shakespeare Products Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 20, 1945, Serial No. 617,524

1 Claim. (Cl. i4-503) This invention relates to improvements in con- Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on the trol devices of the push-pull type, having for an line 5 5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction object to provide a device whereby push or pull in which the arrows point. control motion may be selectively transmitted to Figure 6 is an elevation 0f the type of spacer various kinds of apparatus or devices equipped 5 Washer employed by the device, With the Same and Will thereby be OperatiOnallY Figure '7 is an elevation of the broached washcontrolled. er employed by the device for connecting one end It is an equally important object of the invenof the looking Spring to the control rod, tion to provide a control device in which the Figure 8 is e, fragmentary elevation of one push-pull control motion transmitting member 10 end portion of the body tubo of tho device, and thereof will be automatically locked and securely Figure 9 is a detail in elevation 0f the locking retained in a particularly adjusted position and, Spring having an intermediate portion thereof when desired, can be instantly unlocked or rebroken away A leased t? permit' other and desirable push or Referring in detail to the drawings, the impuu mOi-lon tranmfsslon' 15 proved control comprises a tubular body l and Furthermore It 1S at? ObJect Ot the mventlon a tubular face plate assembly, generally identito provide a control device of the indicated chared by the numeral 2 staked together as ind1 acte!" Wherem the Control momen transmlttmg cated at 3. or otherwise suitably interconnected;

means supplied thereto is capable of minute push and pull sliding adjustment and, most important, substantially instantaneously locked in an adjusted position.

Moreover, it is an object of the invention to provide a control device having a novel and eiiicient form of locking means for releasably securing its control or motion transmitting rod in any one of adjusted positions without the use of teeth, pawls, screw threads, etc., upon or oper- -the tubular portion of the face plate assembly being peripherally screw threaded, as at 4. to facilitate the engagement of a locking nut 5 in clamping relationship to a panel 6 or other supporting body, as shown in Figures l and 2 of the drawings.

The face or forward portion of the assembly 2 is annularly recessed or chambered, for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.

atively associated with the same, and which will sldably received through the bod-V tube and be of durable, dependable and simple constructhe face plate assemtlf 2 and @Xtehdm beVOnd tion. the same, is a longitudinally grooved. extruded Other objects of the invention will be in part control rod 1. the normally forward end of which obvious and in peri; pointed out hereinafter is provided with a suitable type of knob or han- In order that the invention and its mode of die 8', while its opposite end is connected to suitoperation may be'readily understood by those 35 able motion transmitting means (not shown) skilled in the art to which it appertains, I have, having connection with an apparatus 0r a dein the accompanying drawings and the detailed vice to be controlled. A coiled spring 9 is endescription based thereupon, set out one emgaged about and OVer an intermediate part 0f bodiment of my invention. 40 the 4control rod 1, and is arranged or housed `In the drawings: within the intermediate portion of the face plate Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved assembly 2, as will be seen upon reference to device with the control rod (push-pull rod) frag- ,Figures 2 and 4 of the accompanying drawings. mentally shown. Said spring 9 is coiled with an inside diameter Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on 45 slightly smaller than the outside diameter of the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the directhe control rod 1 and has oppositely disposed tion in which the arrows point, and wherein the loops I0 and II 4formed on its opposite ends.

locking spring is in engaged relationship with That end portion of the body tube I telerespect to the control rod. scopically received within and connected to the Figure 3 is an end elevation of the construc- 5o adjacent end portion of the face assembly 2A tion shown in Figure 2. (each of which is non-rotatable by reason of Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2, but the clamp or other similar mounting of the face wherein the locking spring is shown in its disen plate assembly 2, in the manner above indigaged or'expanded position with relation to the cated) is provided with a right angularly formed control rod. inwardly extending notch I2 into which the ad- 3 jacent and correspondingly formed loop I0 of the coiled spring 9 is engaged.

Loosely received Within the annular chamber or recess of the face plate assembly 2 is a slotted spacer washer I3, While bearing upon or engaged with its inner face is a broached washer I4, which fits snugly (though allowing a sliding iit) over` and about thelongitudinally 'grooved control rod 1.

The remaining looped end II of the coiled spring 9 is engaged through an appropriate slo't I5 formed in the broached washer Idwand through the slotted spacer washer I3, thus effecting connection between said end -lo'f the spring f9 and the control rod 1.

The outwardly opening annular chan'i'ber'in the face plate assembly Z ismrovidedfwitha suitable tubular or sleeve-like spacer I6 receiving the aforesaid Washers I 3 and I4, and an `appearance or facing washer h1 which, as will be noted :iupon reference-:to Figures t2 `and 4fofftne drawings, `has bearing upon the adjacent .marginal portion of the tubular -:spacer 'I'B `and is."se`culrel57 nretain-led inassembled 4relation by spinning vover the adjacent portionrof theface'mlate .iIS, .fas at 19.

In usage -cf the improved control 'device, it will be understood. that tollowing sliding (p'ush orpu'll) adjustment of/thev controlrod 1 to rany predeter- .fmined vposition through-out its path `rof vtravel limitations,ethefcoiledwspring I9, vhaving an-inside =diameterslightly smaller than thebutside diameter of said rod, exerts an inward pressureon .the rod, hence, ,rendering.itimpossible forthe same .to .slide in either direction with lrelationto vthe spring. Torelease or 4unlocklthe controlrod, the knob 8 is rotatedslighltly ina-direction to cause an unwinding or expansion of the spring 9 uniformly *throughout its length. .Such unwinding rotation 'e'flects full disengagement of .the .spring from uand the release of its .previously 'applied inward pressure on the control rod 1, Amaking it possible to Isliizably move the rod in a fcon'trol operationle'it'l-ienby -pus'h or pull '-motion.

The referred to unwinding or expansion of ythe 'spring 9, it `will beunderstood, 'is 1accomplished 'because one -end 'oi said lspr-ing is vheldin a substantiallyiixed position relative `to vthe body tube I #and #the `tace plate lassembly i2, Vwhereas its opposite vend is vengaged `with `the breached vvwasher I4 N'slidable ythe :longitudinallygrocved cont-rol rod FI and rotatable coincidentally therewith.

vFollowing partialrotatiom-'ofthe Pcontrol rod through .-its vknob 8., in .a v4:direction toaeffect ,fthe

described unw-i-nding-for expansion of 'the coiled vspring.9,.-,andthesliding (push/or pull) .adjustunent of Lsaid-.rod in `a control'rmotion transmitting voperation, the knob is released by the operator. Thereupon, y'the spring 9 .instantlyreturns :to its normal or .initial .contracted ,i position, hence, applying .locking .pressure ,to and along the. control `rod f1., locking it against .further or undesired .;s1'iding,.movement in either direction. Thatisto fsay,v.the torque .of .the .spring 9 holdsthecontrol rod 1 constantly in alockedposition .and such vibration Vas maybe transmitted thereto, serves .only .tomore ,positively locker secure it. Actual .ffusagetests of the improved Icontrol vdeviceshow .that with a spring madeof Wire of .04E-.diameter and a.bodylengthofapproximately one and oneourth (I1/4) inches, therehas been achieveda lacking of the control rod suiilciently strong tO resist a one hundred pound thrust in either direction along its path of normal movement.

. It will be understood and appreciated by workers skilled in this art that a material and highly important advantage is provided by the improved control device in that the control rod member thereof can be locked at any point throughout its normailpath'of sliding movement;` inasmuch as no :teeth or Aother serrationsr are included in its construction and/or design.

Control devices Whose control rods or their Aequivalentsare provided With teeth, serrations, Vdeformed parts, etc., require an operational movement whichi's, vgenerally, in the neighborhood fofg :Init'heimproved device, a 30 rotational movemeritfofthe gcontrol rod 1 is quite isuicient ,to eiectaan funlocking of the device, i. e., an unwinding or expansion of the coiled spring 9 vto an Iiextent suicient to eiect the release of its normal contractile pressure from and along the.

.control Arod f1.

While I have herein illustrated and. described', :with-some degree of-.particularity, certain :ch-arac-` ters yor forms of yconstruction and.- operation y.memf-bersinvconneetion whichmy improvedlock- 4.ing device ,is employed, iit *.is z-tof :be .understood that such constructional members mayfhevaiiied, .alteredor modified, such as tconditions `or preter- -ence .may dictate, `without .departing .rfrom A.the

yambit or .spirit `of the invention, the essence :of

:about'an .adjacent portion 'otsaid rodia connectingwasher 'slidably received in said spacer sleeve lin saidfacing plate chamber rotatably and Vslid- 'ably engaged 4Lwith and 7along the longitudinally grocved rod, 'one end r'of "the coi'led spring ibeing connected .to the tubular body portion and "its `remaining 'end connected to said 'connecting washer, 'andnclosure means engaged inthe open fend of said facing l.plate -ch'aznber'zretaining :said spacer sleeve and connecting Washer the chamber.

YERNESTWNBATTERSON.

REFERENGES The following references A.are otrecordlnithe "file iof this patent: y

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

